The boring middle

When people discover that I have six children, they often comment on how busy my life is. And while that is true most of the time, there are times when I’m not busy at all. My kids are doing a lot of things—and sometimes that leaves me at home. Not being busy. Being bored.

Last night I watched one of my girls play in her orchestra concert, and then I dropped her off at dance. Her sisters were already at the studio. My youngest was gone at a school camp for a couple of days. I walked into a very quiet house, and my husband and I ate dinner. The quiet was deafening. My kids were growing up, and they needed me less. I had a moment—I saw how quickly my life was happening, and how fast my home would only be occupied by Brian and me.

I am in the boring middle of my life.

I do the same things day after day. I plan meals, grocery shop, cook food, run errands, work out, do laundry, go to church, get my kids where they need to be, watch performances they are in, take care of my pets, and clean my house. Rinse and repeat, and repeat, and repeat. I know that was boring to read because it was boring to write. I am in the thick middle of all the boring. Oh, there are pockets of exciting things that happen now and again—but most of my life is repetitive and predictable.

As someone who usually craves change and excitement, the boring middle has been a difficult place to be. I’m always jealous when the graduating seniors in high school move away and have their own adventures. I want to go! I want to be the one with the future unknown, unexplored, and undetermined. Pick me!! The beginnings are always fantastically enticing.

Thankfully, in the midst of my pity party, I gained a little insight.

The boring middle is not a problem that needs solving.

In anything that we do, including living our lives in general, there is a slump in the middle. You can see this occur over and over again. You may see it in a work project with a deadline, in learning a new skill like baking or basketball, in your education, in planning a vacation, or even in a book you’re reading. When something is new, we get very motivated and excited. It’s so great! But that feeling fades over time. We get bored. We feel very unmotivated. We may even wonder why we started doing this in the first place. And toward the end—that motivation and excitement pick back up. I’m almost there! I can do this! Nothing will stop me.

But what about that boring middle?

Remember, the slump is totally normal, and it does not need to be solved. Don’t try to escape it! The boring middle is where you find words like consistency and dedication. It is where the small, repetitive actions you do daily start to add up. It is where you learn that new and exciting isn’t better…it’s just different. The boring middle can be where you discover gratitude and serenity.

So if you are finding yourself in the boring middle of something right now, take heart.

Keep going.